Gorgonopsid
Gorgonopsia are a group of creatures that were at one time called "mammal-like reptiles", though in most current classification systems, they are not true reptiles, instead much more closely related to true mammals. Their mammalian specializations include differentiated tooth shape, the fully developed temporal fenestra, pillar-like rear legs and even ear bones, as well as other traits associated with its mammalian descendants. Arguments have even been made for synapsids of its time being endothermic. They have two sabre-teeth that are larger than the others. What’s really special about Gorgonopsids is their patience and implacability. Once they have smelt blood they have a tendency to pursue their prey at all costs. In fact it was this keen sense of smell that originally tempted it into the cold present, lured by the smell of humans and waste from a supermarket. They then store their kills in trees like leopards. They can gallop at a top speed of 50 km/h. Facts Gorgonopsia is a suborder of therapsid synapsids. Their name is a reference to the Gorgons of Greek mythology. Like other therapsids, gorgonopsians were at one time called "mammal-like reptiles", though in most current classifcation systems, they are not true reptiles, but instead are much more closely related to true mammals. Their mammalian specializations include differentiated (heterodont) tooth shape, a fully developed temporal fenestra, pillar-like rear legs, and ear bones. Gorgonopsians are a part of a group of therapsids called theriodonts, which includes mammals. They were among the largest carnivores of the late Permian. The largest known, Inostrancevia, was the size of a large bear with a 75 cm long skull, and 12-cm long saber-like teeth (clearly an adaptation to being a carnivore). It is unknown whether they had fur, scales, or naked skin. In Primeval One entered into the present through an Anomaly that opened up in the Forest of Dean. The Gorgonopsid attacked Helen Cutter in an asda shopping centre carpark and easily flung cars around. It then returned through the Anomaly. The Anomaly reopened 8 years later and the gorgonopsid entered through it. This shows that the Gorgonopsids are extremely territorial, as this individual seemed to be guarding the area where the anomalies appeared for eight years. The Gorgonopsid killed a cow to eat and stored it in a tree. It then went on to attack a truck. The Gorgonopsid also attacked Ben Trent's house and a school but both times caused no casualties. Nick Cutter and the team tracked it down, but when they least expected, it attacked them, but Stephen Hart ran it over, thinking he killed it. It managed to attack, but was gunned down. (Episode 1.1) Tom Ryan, his men, as well as Nick and Helen Cutter go back to the Permian period at a time five years before the abandoned camp they found in the first episode. They are followed by a futuristic predator, whose offspring they have taken. The predator attacks and kills Ryan and his men. At this point a Gorgonopsid arrives, stunning the Predator briefly before beginning to devour its young. The Predator and the Gorgonopsid then battle. The Predator uses its agility to get of the top of the Gorgonopsid and scratch and bite its neck. The Gorgonopsid used its weight to fling the predator around. Despite losing an eye, the Gorgonopsid emerges victorious when it grabs the Predator's front limb holding it still long enough before it rears up with the Predator on its back, crushing it beneath its weight. The Gorgonopsid then left to eat the Future Predator's body. (Episode 1.6) In 2011, stock footage of the Gorgonopsid from Series 1 appeared on Creaturesightings.com ran by Duncan. It was said to be a Mutant Lion. To save on cost of creating new pictures of montsers the producers simply used monsters from previous series. (Episode 4.2) Trivia *Gorgonopsia means "Gorgon Face". *This was the first predatory creature Nick Cutter's team has encountered *This was the first creature to appear in Primeval. *Stock footage of the Gorgonoposid was used for the Stegosaurus in Series 4 Prequel Webisodes Episode 1, along with a Embolotherium and Scutosaurus. *It makes a cameo in Lester's flashback recap of the three previous series in Episode 4.1. *Until the appearence of the young Mosasaur in episode 1.3, this was the largest creature of the show. *It is the 13th largest creature encountered by the team. *It is believed that it is a Gorgonops although due to the fact that it is seen co-existing with Scutosaurus and that the Permian Hills is though to be in Russia there is also a likely possibility that it is an Inostrancevia. *The pictures of the Gorgonopsid in Greenwich are actually from Episode 1.6, the Gorgonopsid in the Permian. *The Gorgonopsid roar is a very repeated sound, it was not only used in the Gorgonopsid appearences, but was used for the dinosaurs in Duncan´s TV in Episode 1.4 and it was the last sound in Episode 1.6. *This is the only creature from Series 1 that was encountered again in the present and was not part of Oliver Leek's creature army, although it could have been and may have been one of the 13 creatures he had planted. *This is the first creature to kill a Future Predator. *Is possible that the Gorgonopsid is the huge hippopotamus said in Primeval Evolved Week 1, although this is unlikely, it was probably a prehistoric hippopotamus like a gorgops (Not to be confused with gorgonops which was a gorgonopsid). *The Gorgonopsid is the biggest carnivorous creature from Series 1 that the team has encountered because it is bigger than the young mosasaur and only Nick Cutter encountered the adult mosasaur. Gallery :See also: Category:Images of Gorgonopsids Episode1.1 2.JPG Episode1.1 4.JPG Episode1.1 24.JPG Episode1.1 31.JPG Episode1.1 38.JPG Episode1.1 39.JPG Episode1.1 40.JPG Episode1.1 41.JPG Episode1.1 50.JPG Episode1.6 12.jpg Episode1.6 39.jpg Episode1.6 41.jpg Episode1.6 42.jpg Episode1.6 43.jpg Episode1.6 44.jpg Episode1.6 45.jpg Episode1.6 46.jpg Promotional Images File:Ep6 1.jpg gorgonopsid28.jpg gorgonopsid23.jpg Gorgonopsid.jpg External Links *Gorgonopsid on the BBC America site *Gorgonopsid on the Watch site Category:Mammal-like reptiles Category:Permian creatures Category:Series 1 Creatures Category:Creatures Category:Creatures that cause deaths